The two programs solely responsible for the financial viability and national reputation of the Big 12 conference find themselves squaring off today in a race for the bottom of the Big 12. The Sooners (1-2, 0-2 Big 12) are coming off back to back disastrous losses to Kansas State and Iowa State and are staring into the void and struggling to find their purpose in a season that is on the precipice of becoming truly meaningless.
The Longhorns (2-1, 1-1 Big 12), as per usual, are shithead assholes. Let's get that out of the way. Predictably, they were overrated to start the season and rode a victory over the Miners of UTEP to a top 10 ranking before throwing it all away against TCU last week. They aren't out of the top 25, though, because we live in a world where we're a month into the "season" and Ohio State hasn't played a game and is ranked number one.
So today is a chance for both teams to try and course correct and provide some glimmer of interest for the remaining campaign. It could actually be a pretty entertaining game from that perspective even if the national implication is pretty much zilch.
OFFENSE
The Sooners best defense today needs to be the offense. Sooner Nation has become accustomed to the high scoring, quick strike Lincoln Riley offenses and I am certainly not implying the Sooners should purposely take this off the table. However, the defense sucks so horrifically that the Sooners need to find ways to extend drives and hang onto the ball. Some of Lincoln Riley's best work is when he takes eight minutes off the clock and sucks the soul out of opposing defenses. Not only would this help the Sooners today but it could be big for the development of Spencer Rattler.
That said, I would love to see a wide receiver break out in this one. It would be awesome if that wideout was Charleston Rambo but I think Marcus Mims is the better candidate. The Sooners need to find ways to get him quick catches, in space, and let him pick up yards in chunks. He's my OPOG.
DEFENSE
Prepare yourself now for pain and frustration. I see Sam Ehlinger in my fever dreams carrying the pile for first downs early and often. 2nd and 4? He'll run for 6. 3rd and two? He'll get three. Much like Coronavirus, you can wish it away all you like but it's coming and the Sooner D is playing like a person wearing a mask like a chinstrap.
Forget one on one tackles, the Sooners need to, at a minimum, slow down the ball carrier at the point of contact. I'm talking baby steps to mediocrity here. Just slow them down and let the cavalry arrive. To add to the complexity, the Sooners need to be very aware of play action and not be too aggressive attacking the line or we'll be seeing the same plan I just laid out for Marcus Mims being deployed against the Sooners.
Still no DPOG.
THE SCORE
Hey everybody I'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best here. Can the Sooners win? Of course they can because Texas is second to none in undershooting expectations and are the most perennially overrated team in the history of college football. But the Sooners have proven on the field this season that they are more than capable of pooping down their pants legs without having a spare pair of undies in the locker room.
The Sooners need some one, or group of someones, on both sides of the ball, to step up and take control. It can't be the coaches or the gameplan or the environment of a rivalry game or any other magical thinking. The guys on the field need to take a step forward today. There's no better game and no better opponent to find yourself than the Longhorns and the Cotton Bowl.
::Puts on crimson-colored glasses:: I'm going to say Sooners 28, Longhorns 24
Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner
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